The importance of Servicing your Differential Fluid

During a recent differential fluid service on a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Pickup here at Superior Service Center, one of our Master Technicians had noticed the old fluid had a “sparkle” or “glitter” effect to it. Upon further inspection, after removing the rear differential carrier cover, the technician had discovered that the so-called “glitter” was in fact metal shavings from the teeth of the spider gear inside the differential unit itself. The first picture illustrates how the magnet, stuck to the inside of the differential cover, was bombarded with metal shavings. The second picture illustrated gives you an inside look at what damage was discovered inside the unit. Due to the magnet being covered with metal shavings, it was unable to continue serving its purpose of keeping those shavings from flowing around inside those gears & causing internal damage. Regularly servicing your drivetrain fluids (most manufacturers recommend every 30,000-50,000 miles depending on vehicle use) can keep this magnet free of metal shavings and/or any foreign debris as well as preventing such catastrophic repairs like this one from occurring & prolong your vehicle’s life. If you are unsure when and if you’ve had your drivetrain fluids serviced, check your maintenance records or feel free to give the professionals here at Superior Service Center a call for a free over the phone consultation.